Page 12

Shewhat? My frown deepens. "She left?"
"You didn’t think she was going to stay with us indefinitely, did you?” Cian asks, smiling.
But his smile dies almost immediately as I continue to scowl. Iknowthat she didn’t plan to stay indefinitely but I bloody well expected her to keep her ass on this island until weallleft. Together. So that she isn’t back in Emerald alone.
"She wanted to get back,” Cian says. “She has a life in Ohio. She had to get back to work. She’s got a house. Friends. She can’t travel around the US with us.”
I shake my head. "Why not? You could support her.”
I know that’s not her plan, but Cian doesn’t know about law school. I know Ruby didn’t tell her sister that she plans to leave them for New Orleans while Scarlett is still essentially on her honeymoon.
Hell, Ruby might not have evenseenScarlett with the way Cian has kept her to himself for the last two days.
“That’s not the issue,” Cian says.
“Then what? A bartending job she does only out of necessity in a town where she lives only because Scarlett wanted to move back there? Emerald was never Ruby’s plan.”
Okay, that was a dickhead thing to say. I mean, it’s true. But it’s not as if Ruby is upset with Scarlett. In fact, Ruby is sweet and accommodating and patient with her sister almost to a fault. Scarlett has been calling the shots in their relationship for…ever.
Am I annoyed because if Scarlett had just stayed in New Orleans instead of going back to Emerald two years ago to try to make amends with a town that doesn’t deserve her we couldallbe living in New Orleans, together, happy and in love?
Yes.
But it’s not Scarlett’s fault.
Cian glances at Scarlett but she’s listening to Linnea and Mariah talk.
He lowers his voice and leans closer to me. "Well, I don’t know what to tell you, Henry. She came in and said her goodbyes. I arranged the plane. She texted Scarlett when she got home." He studies me. "I take it she didn’t say goodbye to you?"
I blow out a breath. Okay,that’swhy I’m annoyed. "No."
"Maybe that’s for the best?" Cian asks.
I grind my back teeth together. But then I nod. "Yeah, maybe.”
Just then, Scarlett’s phone rings.
"Sorry,” she apologizes, pulling the phone from her pocket. She glances at the screen and frowns, then looks at Cian. "It’s Ruby."
My heart thuds against my ribs just hearing her name.
"Take it," Cian tells her. "It’s fine."
Scarlett stands and takes a few steps away from the group, lifting her phone to her ear.
I can’t help but watch her.
It’s clear immediately that this isn’t just a friendly phone call.
My heart starts beating faster.
"Something’s wrong," I tell Cian.
Scarlett comes back over to the couch. "We might have to rearrange our trips a little bit.”
"What is it?" I ask, my voice clipped.
"We just need to go back to Ohio. Or I do. Maybe you can go on without me," Scarlett says to Cian.